Forms in a Classical Symphony - Essay Example

A symphony is the most monumental genre in classical music. Maybe, for this reason, the most monumental figures in the history of Western classical music were working in the genre of a symphony in the later 18th – early 19th century. Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven are commonly considered to be the “Founding Fathers” of the classical symphony. In their compositions, a classical symphony is a four-part sonata-cyclic form.

The first part of a classical symphony is usually composed in a form of a sonata-allegro, therefore in a fast tempo. One (usually, a primary) theme or several themes of a symphony sounding in this part in different modes. The key feature is a ternary: themes’ exposition, development, and reprise. When exposition, themes are introduced. There are primary and secondary themes, a connection part between them, and a closing part that introduced a new mode. A development implies theme development. It’s a reverse of exposition because the introduced themes are transforming here.  When reprise, themes are sounding again, but with some changes with a view of themes’ development. By this structure contrast and repetition are conveyed. It’s important because they are two features symphony and sonata forms have in common.

The second part usually is slower, and therefore it makes a contrast with the first part. This part can also be composed in a form of a sonata, but more often it takes the form of rondo or rondo-sonata. When it’s a rondo, a primary theme is repeated at least three times, and it intersperses with other, different from each other, episodes. It ends as it starts, with a primary theme. The formula describes the structure:

A – B – A – C – A … – A

In the case of a rondo-sonata, the interspersion keeps, but they are primary and second themes that intersperse with each other. In the center of the structure is a theme development. The formula describes the structure:

PT – ST – PT – Development – PT – ST – PT

The third part of a classical symphony is usually composed in a complicated ternary form. It can be minuet or scherzo. The third part takes features of these dance genres, and therefore is similar to dance: the meter is 3/4 and etc. The formula of the movement is:

A – B – C – D – AB

Beethoven, who is known for his “changing the symphony” practice, used a scherzo for a third part in most of his symphonies (“Symphony in the Classical Period”). Scherzo is fast-moving and can be defined by themes’ roll calls, communication of instrumental parts, and sudden steps because originally, the scherzo is an instrumental joke, a play. Yet it should be mentioned, that Beethoven is considered to be “a bridge” between classical and romantic symphony (“Symphony in the Classical Period”). For classical symphonies Haydn and Mozart usually composed minuets.

Forth part is usually composed again, in the form of a sonata, but with variations that strongly define this part from the first one. It can also take the form of a rondo-sonata, but however, it’s sounding lighter in a mood, and it’s fast.

There are some specific features of a symphony that compositors are trying to convey using this particular form. It’s a conflict, but a union upon a general idea. For this reason, themes once introduced in the first part (particularly, in the exposition) are developed within a whole symphony. The same themes are repeated in all four parts, yet with variations and metamorphoses. And in order to stress a conflict, each part of a symphony is different from other ones and is quite independent.